Arkansas Red Cross Members Head To Oklahoma To Help Survivors

Four members of the Red Cross from Arkansas headed to Moore, Okla., on Wednesday from Fort Smith to help the survivors of a mammoth tornado that devastated the Oklahoma City suburb.

Four members of the Red Cross from Arkansas headed to Moore, Okla., on Wednesday from Fort Smith to help the survivors of a mammoth tornado that devastated the Oklahoma City suburb.

Volunteer Mike McEvoy, 66, of Fort Smith, along with Richard Thomas, 67, of Mountain Home and Phyllis Warren, 64, and her husband, Luke, 69, both of Gentry, left the Fort Smith Red Cross office at 1709 S. Greenwood Ave. about 5 p.m. to provide supplies and food and help to clean up the ravaged community.

The team of four took two emergency response vehicles to join more than 200 other Red Cross workers already in Oklahoma. The group is required to stay in the area for at least two weeks or a maximum of three weeks.

“I have no idea what we’re going into. All I can tell you is what I’ve been seeing on the news on TV,” Luke Warren said. “The disaster area is really bad. … We’re just going to have to wait and see what we’ve got when we get there.”

Both Luke and Phyllis Warren said being exposed to that much destruction over a prolonged period of time can have a wearing impact.

“They don’t want you sticking around because you’re getting tired and you haven’t had your own bed,” Phyllis Warren said. “After 14 days you’re about ready to head back home.”

The Warrens joined the Red Cross in 2006, and have since traveled to North Carolina and Pennsylvania after Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Florida and Mississippi after Hurricane Isaac last year.

Thomas, who is in his 10th year as a Red Cross volunteer, will be seeing his fifth deployment.

“From what I’ve seen and heard, it’s going to be the worst one I’ve ever been in,” he said. “I was down in New Orleans (after Hurricane Katrina); this looks worse.”

Thomas said he has no reservations about heading to the devastated area.

“We’ll go do what we’re asked to do the best we can do it,” he said.

McEvoy said he isn’t apprehensive either about going to the area, and said he knew he wanted to help when he first saw coverage of the destruction on TV.

“It’s quite a bit of work, but it’s well worth it,” he said. “You see the people, and they sometimes come nearby and thank us. It makes us feel good.”

McEvoy, a retired dispatcher with ABF Freight System in Fort Smith, has been with the Red Cross since 2011 and traveled to New York last year after Hurricane Sandy, as well as to Orlando and Hattiesburg, Miss., after Hurricane Isaac.

This will be his fourth deployment in two years, he said.

“I’m going out there to help the folks as much as I can,” McEvoy said. “That’s why I work for the Red Cross.”

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.